Leigh High School Newspaper

“Serial” Podcast Review

Did he do it?

Seventeen years ago, the body of Hae Min Lee was found at a local park in Baltimore, Maryland. Determined as homicide, her classmate and ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed was charged with life in prison but pleaded innocent. Sixteen years later, Adnan receives a letter in jail from an old classmate containing some evidence that could be his alibi. In the first season of “Serial,” through recorded phone calls, interviews, and role-playing, Sarah Koenig investigated Adnan’s case.

Serial is a weekly podcast that takes you through the trial and evidence. After the first episode, I was immediately hooked. It is perfect to listen to on a long drive or run where you can “binge-listen” to multiple episodes. At first, Adnan seemed like the true victim of the case as he was stuck in jail for life for a crime he did not commit. However, throughout the course of the series, new characters provide conflicting evidence which makes it hard to stay on one suspects ’s side for too long. Serial’s first season instantly became one of the most popular podcasts of all time being the fastest podcast ever to reach 5 million streams on iTunes.

Serial has recently started up again with season two, only about six episodes in. The new season focuses on Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, an American soldier who was arrested for deserting the camp and associating with the Taliban. This season explores what made him leave his camp and how he survived. If you liked the Netflix series, “How to Make a Murderer,” these podcasts are definitely up your alley. A